Disney, Charter End Dispute, Restoring ESPN, ABC to 15 Million Households

Deal comes hours before the first ‘Monday Night Football’ of the NFL season is to air on ESPN

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/disne...36560c#_=_

(09-11-2023 10:04 AM)Maize Wrote:  Disney, Charter End Dispute, Restoring ESPN, ABC to 15 Million Households

Deal comes hours before the first ‘Monday Night Football’ of the NFL season is to air on ESPN

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/disne...36560c#_=_

Yes, great news indeed!

It's about time.

(09-11-2023 10:04 AM)Maize Wrote:  Disney, Charter End Dispute, Restoring ESPN, ABC to 15 Million Households

Deal comes hours before the first ‘Monday Night Football’ of the NFL season is to air on ESPN

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/disne...36560c#_=_

But not before angering millions of customers.

Spectrum subscribers aren't going to forget this. If not for Spectrum's exclusive rights to broadcast certain University of Hawaii sports, I would have cut the cable for sure.

If I were with Spectrum still I wouldn't stop searching for a new provider (except in the case of Hawaii, apparently). Best move I ever did was dumping them and going with the streaming options. I started with PlayStation Vue, which I loved until Sony shut it down. Then went to YouTubeTV which is fantastic, but I'm with Fubo right now because I can get Bally's sports. After this month I'll probably switch back to YouTubeTV because I'll end up needing TBS/TNT for the NCAA tournament. Having flexability to switch providers to see the content I want is awesome, especially with how much cheaper my bill is now.

(09-11-2023 10:28 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 10:04 AM)Maize Wrote:  Disney, Charter End Dispute, Restoring ESPN, ABC to 15 Million Households

Deal comes hours before the first ‘Monday Night Football’ of the NFL season is to air on ESPN

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/disne...36560c#_=_

But not before angering millions of customers.

Spectrum subscribers aren't going to forget this. If not for Spectrum's exclusive rights to broadcast certain University of Hawaii sports, I would have cut the cable for sure.

They don't really care, as long as you stay with Charter for your broadband.

They got what they wanted -- Disney+ Basic (the one with ads) bundled with Spectrum TV Select, and ESPN+ with Select Plus (Hat tip to Amy MacLean's twitter, who I started following today @MACcable)

(09-11-2023 11:12 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  They got what they wanted -- Disney+ Basic (the one with ads) bundled with Spectrum TV Select, and ESPN+ with Select Plus (Hat tip to Amy MacLean's twitter, who I started following today @MACcable)

Thanks to favored nations this should end up with everyone else, right?

(09-11-2023 11:44 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 11:12 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  They got what they wanted -- Disney+ Basic (the one with ads) bundled with Spectrum TV Select, and ESPN+ with Select Plus (Hat tip to Amy MacLean's twitter, who I started following today @MACcable)

Thanks to favored nations this should end up with everyone else, right?

That's how MFN works, to my understanding. If I understand MFN correctly, then Comcast and DirecTV and ATT Uverse and whoever else are going to be eligible for the same deal.

Disney increases the subscriber numbers for Disney+ and ESPN+, old-fashioned cable customers get access to ESPN Flagship.

So what’s the bottom line?

Was spectrum able to unbundle the ABC/Disney/ESPN package and pick out just the most popular content for its base and base+ packages?

(09-11-2023 12:06 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 11:44 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 11:12 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  They got what they wanted -- Disney+ Basic (the one with ads) bundled with Spectrum TV Select, and ESPN+ with Select Plus (Hat tip to Amy MacLean's twitter, who I started following today @MACcable)

Thanks to favored nations this should end up with everyone else, right?

That's how MFN works, to my understanding. If I understand MFN correctly, then Comcast and DirecTV and ATT Uverse and whoever else are going to be eligible for the same deal.

Disney increases the subscriber numbers for Disney+ and ESPN+, old-fashioned cable customers get access to ESPN Flagship.

It will be interesting to see the details of the payments. In particular, was Disney able to get extra payments out of Spectrum for access to the Disney streaming services? If so, that might be win-win - Disney is getting an extra payment plus stable subscription revenue for its streaming services while Spectrum gets to participate in the streaming subscriber growth and provide what’s perceived as extra value for its customers.

Remember when a lot of us said that eventually, someone is going to create a bundle of the streaming services just like the old cable bundle? This might be it - the cable companies (or someone else) selling all of cable channels plus streaming services for one price.

(09-11-2023 02:23 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  So what’s the bottom line?

Was spectrum able to unbundle the ABC/Disney/ESPN package and pick out just the most popular content for its base and base+ packages?

There does not appear to be any unbundling of channels. Disney's networks (ESPN, FX, etc.) would stay on the same tiers that they have been on.

The Disney+ ad-supported streaming service will now be included with Spectrum's TV Select service, which is its standard level.

The ESPN+ streaming service will be included with TV Select Plus package, a level that includes additional cable channels as compared to TV Select.

Disney was undoubtedly asking for a price increase, which I assume it is getting. Expect your Spectrum bill to increase, but maybe you can drop your Disney+ or ESPN+ subscription as an offset.

I am counting down the days until the launch of an ESPN standalone myself.

Spectrum gets to drop Baby TV, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXM, FXX, Nat Geo Wild and Nat Geo Mundo but in exchange they are giving all their TV Select subscribers disney+ with ads as part of the package. These customers will also get the Direct to Consumer ESPN offering when it launches.

They are also going to be able to offer their Select Plus subscribers ESPN+ as part of the package and will be able to sell Disney + and the Disney Bundle to their internet only customers

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-...agreement/

(09-11-2023 02:41 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Spectrum gets to drop Baby TV, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXM, FXX, Nat Geo Wild and Nat Geo Mundo but in exchange they are giving all their TV Select subscribers disney+ with ads as part of the package. These customers will also get the Direct to Consumer ESPN offering when it launches.

They are also going to be able to offer their Select Plus subscribers ESPN+ as part of the package and will be able to sell Disney + and the Disney Bundle to their internet only customers

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-...agreement/

Wow, this is an interesting development. Seems like an initial step in the ultimate phase out of these channels. I assume their programming is available on Disney+ and that this move will force viewers to go to Disney+ to watch it.

If other providers seek to exercise Most Favored Nation clauses, they would have to accept this term as well.

(09-11-2023 02:23 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  So what’s the bottom line?

Was spectrum able to unbundle the ABC/Disney/ESPN package and pick out just the most popular content for its base and base+ packages?

Short answer is "no." Because ABC/ ESPN *is* the most popular content. That's why they have been charging extra money for it.

Spectrum gets to bundle Disney + Basic (ad supported) with their basic tier, gets to bundle ESPN+ with a premium tier. And they have more ability to sell "skinny bundles" without the expensive channels. So if you just want generic TV that comes through a cable box, Spectrum can sell you $25 a month worth of cheap reruns.

(09-11-2023 02:58 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 02:23 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  So what’s the bottom line?

Was spectrum able to unbundle the ABC/Disney/ESPN package and pick out just the most popular content for its base and base+ packages?

Short answer is "no." Because ABC/ ESPN *is* the most popular content. That's why they have been charging extra money for it.

Spectrum gets to bundle Disney + Basic (ad supported) with their basic tier, gets to bundle ESPN+ with a premium tier. And they have more ability to sell "skinny bundles" without the expensive channels. So if you just want generic TV that comes through a cable box, Spectrum can sell you $25 a month worth of cheap reruns.

I think so too.
Locals alone is over $30 in my area + equipment costs.
I don't think they are legally allowed to sell you a package without local channels

(09-11-2023 03:03 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 02:58 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 02:23 PM)jrj84105 Wrote:  So what’s the bottom line?

Was spectrum able to unbundle the ABC/Disney/ESPN package and pick out just the most popular content for its base and base+ packages?

Short answer is "no." Because ABC/ ESPN *is* the most popular content. That's why they have been charging extra money for it.

Spectrum gets to bundle Disney + Basic (ad supported) with their basic tier, gets to bundle ESPN+ with a premium tier. And they have more ability to sell "skinny bundles" without the expensive channels. So if you just want generic TV that comes through a cable box, Spectrum can sell you $25 a month worth of cheap reruns.

I think so too.
Locals alone is over $30 in my area + equipment costs.
I don't think they are legally allowed to sell you a package without local channels

It's legal, but not easy.

The cable companies have to OFFER local television -- for free.
But the TV Stations won't agree to that, they want retransmission fees.

So you legally could do a bundle of a bunch of low-cost no-budget channels, like what you see on the FAST services and / or Sinclair's Charge, Comet, TBD channels that show cheap reruns. No OTA channels, no ESPN, no CNN, no Fox News, nothing that costs more than a few pennies a month. Would anyone want that package for $20 a month? I don't know -- old people who reallly don't want to learn how to navigate a streaming menu, and prefer to flip channels, even if the channels are all pretty lousy?

(09-11-2023 10:15 AM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 10:04 AM)Maize Wrote:  Disney, Charter End Dispute, Restoring ESPN, ABC to 15 Million Households

Deal comes hours before the first ‘Monday Night Football’ of the NFL season is to air on ESPN

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/disne...36560c#_=_

Yes, great news indeed!

That's unfortunate, don't know why you want to spend more than you need to. This battle was going to push ESPN and other sports providers towards DTC which would save most people money in the long-run.

(09-11-2023 02:31 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 12:06 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 11:44 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 11:12 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  They got what they wanted -- Disney+ Basic (the one with ads) bundled with Spectrum TV Select, and ESPN+ with Select Plus (Hat tip to Amy MacLean's twitter, who I started following today @MACcable)

Thanks to favored nations this should end up with everyone else, right?

That's how MFN works, to my understanding. If I understand MFN correctly, then Comcast and DirecTV and ATT Uverse and whoever else are going to be eligible for the same deal.

Disney increases the subscriber numbers for Disney+ and ESPN+, old-fashioned cable customers get access to ESPN Flagship.

It will be interesting to see the details of the payments. In particular, was Disney able to get extra payments out of Spectrum for access to the Disney streaming services? If so, that might be win-win - Disney is getting an extra payment plus stable subscription revenue for its streaming services while Spectrum gets to participate in the streaming subscriber growth and provide what’s perceived as extra value for its customers.

Remember when a lot of us said that eventually, someone is going to create a bundle of the streaming services just like the old cable bundle? This might be it - the cable companies (or someone else) selling all of cable channels plus streaming services for one price.

Looks like a win-win for the companies but definitely a loss for the consumer. DTC can't come fast enough with each provider offering its own streaming service with or w/o live component.

(09-11-2023 10:28 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(09-11-2023 10:04 AM)Maize Wrote:  Disney, Charter End Dispute, Restoring ESPN, ABC to 15 Million Households

Deal comes hours before the first ‘Monday Night Football’ of the NFL season is to air on ESPN

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/disne...36560c#_=_

But not before angering millions of customers.

Spectrum subscribers aren't going to forget this. If not for Spectrum's exclusive rights to broadcast certain University of Hawaii sports, I would have cut the cable for sure.

Spectrum does not want to sell TV anymore, when are ppl going to understand this?

(09-11-2023 10:32 AM)mlb Wrote:  If I were with Spectrum still I wouldn't stop searching for a new provider (except in the case of Hawaii, apparently). Best move I ever did was dumping them and going with the streaming options. I started with PlayStation Vue, which I loved until Sony shut it down. Then went to YouTubeTV which is fantastic, but I'm with Fubo right now because I can get Bally's sports. After this month I'll probably switch back to YouTubeTV because I'll end up needing TBS/TNT for the NCAA tournament. Having flexability to switch providers to see the content I want is awesome, especially with how much cheaper my bill is now.

Surprised that you like YTTV so much since the picture quality is so poor. You should try DTVS if you like sports so much, it's definitely your best option and much cheaper if you know the tricks.